


Festive Smooches

by meslunettes



Series: Kissing Mishaps [2]
Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: College AU, Established Relationship, F/M, I apologize to Felix and Dimitri, Modern AU, please do not take anything in this in serious light ahaha, some OOC might happen, this is really stupid, winter holiday themed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:49:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28316295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meslunettes/pseuds/meslunettes
Summary: Claude and Byleth attended a winter party that was hosted by their friends. He didn't sign up for the headache that ensued from the festivities.
Relationships: My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan
Series: Kissing Mishaps [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2073840
Comments: 5
Kudos: 27





	Festive Smooches

**Author's Note:**

> Hello children! I bear unto you an absolutely silly Claude/Byleth fic for this winter. This is a sequel to my previous work **Bottled Kisses** and I suggest you read that first since I refer to that fic in certain parts of this story. This is all in spirit of good fun since I wanted to take a bit of a break from working on heavy stories. I hope this fic can put a smile on your face in some way.

'Tis the season to be jolly.

  
At least, that was how the saying went right?

  
Winter was upon Fodlan at last and at Garreg Mach University, the season had declared its official arrival with the first signs of snowfall. A little late that year, but it wasn't too alarming to the point that it threw anyone off. In fact, lady winter herself seemed to have purposely delayed herself and waited for the semester break to make her appearance. Perhaps she had listened to Professor Hanneman’s complaints of excessive numbers of students using snow as an excuse to miss his classes last year.

  
In any case, the snow was a confetti of celebration as most of the students at Garreg Mach began to prepare themselves to head off home, or wherever they had decided to spend the season and the much anticipated annual Winter Remembrance Day. It was a day of celebration and festivity as part of Fodlan’s customs, in memory of the day the Four Apostles managed to summon the ancient goddess Sothis during a particularly harsh winter to help ease the nation’s woes. She had granted their pleas and bestowed all of Fodlan's people with prosperous bounties to help them get through the frigid season. In addition, she had instilled within the population a warmth in their hearts and from then on, what had been a difficult season became a time of love and joy for everyone.

  
That was how the lore went supposedly. Now, years, decades and millenniums later, the tale of Sothis and the four apostles had been reduced to a mere fairy tale. But the celebrations remained and in a modern society, the day was now a day of celebration, love and an open opportunity to indulge in one’s inner consumerism without guilt under the guise of ‘gifts’.

  
‘Tis the season to be jolly indeed.

  
Claude had spent his past winter breaks back in Derdriu and once, in Almyra, when he was in the mood to escape the frigid Fodlan winter. He always looked forward to the holiday to spend some quality time with his family. This year, however, was the first time Claude felt a little reluctant to leave Garreg Mach and this was mainly due to one Byleth Eisner, the fantastic woman he now was able to call his girlfriend.

  
Thanks to a little disastrous (for Claude anyway) session of spin-the-bottle game at a party last spring, Byleth and Claude had managed to share their first ever kiss and along that, had inadvertently confessed their mutual feelings for one another.

-

_ "So, you're still swearing off kisses until next year?" Byleth asked in a husky whisper. _

_  
Claude chuckled at her question. He gave a soft peck to her lips before answering.  _

_  
"For you, it will be 'kiss Claude day' every day and every night." _

-

And boy did they both take up his words immediately. From then on, Claude had spent a large portion of his time with Byleth holding her close, touching, kissing and eventually  _ more _ . They both enjoyed one another’s company in ways they weren’t able to prior to their confession and it was safe to say that the past semester had been the happiest Claude had been in his life. 

  
“Hey Claude, what do you think of this outfit for the party?” he heard Byleth ask him. Claude shifted his attention to her from where he was sitting on her bed. Because he stayed in a fraternity, they would both spend their  _ private time _ s in her room instead, as Garreg Mach had a strict policy on mingling in fraternity and sorority properties. With the exception of events, for which the house had to notify the campus in advance. And tonight, Claude’s fraternity would be hosting a winter wonderland party as a send-off to the students before everyone headed their separate ways over the break. The event preparation was, once again, helped by their friends from the Tri Sigma sorority.

  
“Yeah, it’s fine, you look great,” Claude replied, eyeing the way the light blue knitted sweater and her navy jeans hugged her figure perfectly. “You’re asking a biased party here, though, because I will say you look beautiful no matter what you wear,” he grinned at her.

  
Byleth rolled her eyes and turned to look at herself in the small standing mirror of her room. “Hilda told me that I wear too much black so I’m trying to put together an outfit without it for tonight.”

  
“Hmm,” Claude hummed as if in thought. He stood up and walked over to her, turning her around to face him. His eyes scanned her figure up and down before he finally spoke. “You know what would look best on you?”

  
“What?” she asked him, her big blue eyes blinking earnestly at him.

  
A sly smirk played on Claude’s lips as his hand travelled down from her back and landed on the curve of her ass. He gave it a squeeze before pulling her flush against him.

  
“ _ Nothing, _ ” he whispered right in her ear. His lips found themselves on the crook of her neck, kissing and nipping at her sensitive skin.

  
“Claude,” he heard her groan but he knew she was also stifling a moan with the way her breath hitched, “we’re going to be late for the party.”

  
“It’s fine,” he murmured against her skin, his hands now playing at the hem of her sweater, feeling the skin underneath it.

  
“It’s your fraternity, you’re one of the hosts,” she hissed. He bit gently at her skin and a moan spilled out of her. There it was. He pulled his head away from her neck.

  
“I’m as good as a guest right now with how little I was involved in the preparation,” he told her. Between researching for his thesis and preparing for the series of interviews at the consultancy firm he had been set to get into (which he thankfully nailed), not to mention his studies, club organizations and spending time with Byleth, swamped was the word to describe Claude’s semester. But it was fine. He liked being busy. Just like he was trying to make himself busy now with the way his hands have traveled up Byleth's back, hovering over the clasps of her bra. “Just a quick one? I promise I’ll make it  _ spectacular _ for you.”

  
Before she could argue back, Claude dove for her lips. He discovered that kissing her was an effective method of persuasion on her. She got lost easily in them and he enjoyed giving them to her. It was a win-win situation for both of them.

  
She pulled away and sighed. “Oh, all right,” she said, “but you better make me see stars, Claude von Riegan.”

  
Claude grinned at her. “Challenge accepted,” he said before pulling her with him back to her bed.

\---

\---

“Well, thank you for finally showing up, you two,” Dorothea greeted with an eyebrow raised towards Byleth and Claude. There was a certain knowing look in her gaze as her green eyes scanned both of them. It made Claude fidget in his spot a little but he was sure he and Byleth had made themselves presentable after their short (but mind-blowing) tryst. They even made sure to cover anything that needed to be concealed. Thank goodness for winter, giving them a perfectly good excuse to keep their scarves on.

  
"Sorry Dorothea, Claude was helping me do some last minute shopping before I return to Remire over the break," Byleth said, feigning an apologetic look.

  
"Shopping, is that what you kids call it nowadays?" Dorothea scoffed.

  
Claude was about to retort when he felt something plop on his head. He turned around and saw none other than Hilda Valentin Goneril, scrunching her face at him, her arms across her chest. Claude brought a hand to his head and felt a pair of...antlers strapped onto his head?

  
"Guess that will have to do. You got the lucky end of the stick by coming late since that was the only thing I had left," Hilda grumbled.

  
"Costumes?" Claude asked, "I didn't know costumes were in the agenda?"

  
"We decided that you guys should wear costumes since you are members of the host house. It adds to the festive mood of the party," Hilda answered with a shrug as if it was the most obvious problem and solution.

  
"Themed Sothis, the saints and the reindeers of happiness," Dorothea quipped. "Because according to the lore, the saints dispersed and delivered Sothis' bounties all over Fodlan on sledges pulled by the strongest reindeers in the continent."

  
Claude grumbled, "I don't know why they chose reindeers out of all animals. Horses would be more powerful. A pack of wolves, maybe? Heck, they should fly around on wyverns instead." Claude shifted his gaze up towards his head, his hands feeling the outline of the two antlers fastened to his head by a band. "Wyverns would definitely make a much more bad-ass costume."

  
Claude heard a giggle from next to him. He deadpanned and turned to his girlfriend who was stifling her laughter with her hands. Byleth reached up to his head and poked on one of his antlers.

  
"I think reindeers suit you," she said, her blue eyes twinkling bright at him. "Reindeers actually represents resourcefulness, cleverness and knowledge and those are all very much you."

  
Claude felt warmth creep up his face. Trust Byleth to always somehow find a way to disarm him with her words, despite the fact that he was supposed to be the one with the golden tongue.

  
Stars, how did he get so lucky to end up with a fantastic person like her?

  
"Thank your lucky stars, von Riegan, that you only ended up with a pair of antlers," came the familiar voice of Yuri Leclerc. Claude looked up in the direction of the voice to see Yuri...

  
...in a white, long outfit that Claude was sure was a woman's dress. It hugged his torso and thighs tightly and the top of the sleeves started midway down his shoulders. Alongside that, he had on a golden headpiece on his head.

  
What amazed Claude was how Yuri managed to pull off the entire outfit effortlessly.

  
He was so confused.

  
"What the heck are you supposed to be?"

  
"The Archbishop of the Sothis religion, supposedly," Yuri answered with a nonchalant shrug.

  
There was a whistle coming from Hilda. "Honestly Yuri, I still can't get over how good you look in that outfit. You really can pull off anything."

  
"It's both a blessing and a curse," Yuri smirked in response. He turned to Claude. "This is not the best part. Wait til you see who had to dress up as Sothis." The lilac haired man pointed to the general direction behind him. Claude and Byleth traced the direction he was pointing at and…

  
...immediately doubled over in laughter.

  
Satisfied grins broke out from Dorothea, Hilda and Yuri at their reactions.

  
"I was not expecting that at all," Byleth gasped out in between laughs, wiping away a hint of tears at the corner of her eyes.

  
"Okay," Claude guffawed, "how did you manage to convince Felix freaking Fradalrius to put  _ that on _ ?"

  
In a corner, on a chair that had been fashioned into a throne (which screamed Ignatz and Hilda's handiwork) sat a grumpy looking Felix. Which was nothing new, the man always had a perpetually sour look on him unless he was around his girlfriend Annette. What was new, however, was the fact that the infamous Garreg Mach University's undefeated fencer was draped in a flowy purple dress. The front of the dress was hiked up, leaving a lot of his legs exposed. A long golden ornament tumbled down across his torso, providing some decency to the parts of skin exposed by the scant coverage of the dress. On his head was a golden crown that was similar to the one Yuri wore.

  
It was a sight to behold.

  
And the little cherry on top to the entire image was that next to him stood Dimitri and Sylvain, both of them draped chiton-style robes- blue and white for Dimitri and entirely black for Sylvain. It gave them an appearance akin to classical dancers in Claude's opinion. The bulky, muscular and definitely awkward-on-their-feet type of dancers.

  
"We had to do a draw to determine our costumes and Felixonly relented after some  _ persuasive _ coaxing from Annette, and the reassurance that Dimitri and Sylvain were in some sort of dress as well," Yuri explained.

  
Claude turned to Hilda. "I have newfound respect for your fashion-designing skills."

  
"About time you realized my talents, Claude," Hilda huffed.

  
"Can you really blame me after the numerous botched fashion experiments you tried on me?" Claude retorted.

  
A vein noticeably popped on Hilda's forehead.

  
"Anyway," Byleth spoke, linking her hands with Claude's and cutting the budding argument between him and Hilda short, "I think we have our first destination." She nudged her head in the direction of Felix and the others.

  
"Oh, there's something you both need to know about the party," Dorothea added before he and Byleth were about to head off. "You two are familiar with mistletoes right?"

  
Claude deadpanned at her words. "Ugh don't tell me...you have put up mistletoes in certain spots and we have to kiss if we stand underneath them."

  
"Well…not exactly," Dorothea replied. "We wanted to spread the spirit of love and joy around as much as possible and not just between people of your choosing."

  
"Soo," Hilda continued, "we've hidden mistletoes all around the house in spots you wouldn't expect. And if you happen to find one you have to kiss whoever you happen to be around. On the cheeks or a peck on lips, your choice. But share your love around!"

  
Claude's eyebrow twitched slightly. "That sounds like a mistletoe minefield."

  
A sudden horror flashback of the last big party they had together where Claude fell victim to an onslaught of kisses from a spin-the-bottle game flashed in his mind.

  
"Oh, relax," Yuri spoke as if sensing his concerns, "the mistletoes are all so spread out there's no way they will all fall on you. You might not even be kissed at all tonight."

  
"Heh, I hope so," Claude chuckled at him, although a hint of nervousness tinged his face. He gripped Byleth's hand in his a little tighter. "Although there's one person I don't mind being kissed by." He placed a chaste kiss on Byleth's cheek.

  
"Eugh, get a room you two," Hilda rolled her eyes at them. Nonetheless, a smile remained on her face. 

  
\---

\---

  
The party took off quite well. Everyone was drinking, feasting and mingling, simply having a merry time while letting off some steam from the hectic semester.

  
Claude had been challenged to a game of cards by Hubert, who was donning an antler headgear just like him.

  
"It's the lesser evil out of all the options," he remarked.

  
"There's the saints outfit though, they're basically simple white robes," Claude pointed out. Dedue, Ashe, Ferdinand and Ignatz had gotten the draw for the costumes of the four apostles. The rest of them had to bear the antler ornament on their heads (Lorenz had been lamenting endlessly on how unfitting of him to be reduced to a reindeer).

  
"Precisely. They're _ white  _ robes, I refuse to put on that hideous color," Hubert remarked sternly.

  
Hubert's aversion to the color white was truly admirable.

  
It was ten minutes into their card game when Claude heard some cheering. He and Hubert looked in the direction of the commotion.

  
"Dorothea, you've put a mistletoe in the punch?" Edelgard cried at the music student. She was by the drinks table, a cup in one hand and a dripping mistletoe in the other.

  
"Oh don't worry Eddie, the ones we hid in the food and drinks are of the edible kind. They are made of jellies," Dorothea waved a hand at Edelgard.

  
"Yeah, I can see that," Edelgard scoffed.

  
"Anyway, congratulations on finding the first hidden mistletoe! Now give whoever is next to you some love!"

  
Edelgard smiled as she turned to the person she had been talking with…

  
...who happened to be one Byleth Eisner.

  
Byleth smiled back at Edelgard. She opened her arms to her. "Happy Holidays El," she said to her. Edelgard went to her and the two exchanged a brief hug. Edelgard pulled away first.

  
"Happy Holidays, By," she said and moved in to plant a short peck on Byleth's lips. More cheering followed after that. The two women laughed at one another before parting completely and resuming their previous conversations.

  
Claude and Hubert both gulped audibly as they both watched the exchange that took place.

  
"You two are having a grand time watching this, aren't you?" Sylvain remarked gleefully, giving the two men knowing looks as he crouched down in-between them.

  
Claude and Hubert turned to him.

  
"Screw you, Gautier!" they both exclaimed simultaneously.

\---

\---

Claude was talking to Leonie and Lysithea when he heard Sylvain exclaim, "Ah, you found another one!"

  
He shifted his attention in the direction Sylvain was looking at. What he saw was Byleth by the food table, holding a jelly mistletoe. Ashe was next to her.

_  
Damn it, _ Claude groaned in his head.

  
Byleth looked up at Ashe. "So did you hide all of them in our food and drinks?"

  
"Oh no," Ashe waved his hands in front of him, "I guess they're the ones being spotted first since everyone is constantly getting food and drinks."

  
"Come on By, share some love and joy for Ashe!" Sylvain hollered. Claude wanted to hit the loud red-head on the head.

  
Byleth gave a light laugh and turned to Ashe, who looked back at her with his signature innocent and slightly bashful face. "Happy holidays Ashe, thank you for all of your help this semester." Byleth moved forward and planted a kiss on Ashe's cheek. Claude noticed the junior blushing from her action. 

  
There was a slight unpleasant lurch in his stomach and his face twitched involuntarily. Claude had a bad feeling about the way the night was going to go.

\---

\---

Third time was always the one that sealed the deal. If Claude still had doubts that the universe was toying with him the first two times, the third time successfully convinced him that  _ something _ was up tonight.

  
Claude was talking and walking around with Byleth in a slightly less populated section of the party. Judging by the trend that had happened, Claude thought it might be best if he spent more time by Byleth’s side. Just to be safe. 

  
They were in the middle of talking about their respective plans over the winter break when Byleth suddenly excused herself quickly and walked over to Dorothea who was leaning against a windowsill alone, staring down at her phone. She shifted her attention to Byleth when she heard footsteps approaching her. 

  
“Oh, hey By, what’s up?” she said in a singing tone.

  
“Hey Dorothea, sorry, I noticed this and I just want to make sure you caught it before anything bad happened."

  
Dorothea looked at the direction Byleth was pointing and to her surprise, a part of her dress had got caught on a stray nail by the window. Byleth had crouched down and helped her untangle the dress.

  
"Oh my, I didn't realize, that would have been a disaster if I walked away just now." She beamed at Byleth as the blue-haired woman straightened up. "Thank you, you're my savior."

  
"It's no big deal," Byleth shrugged.

  
It was then that Hilda's voice exclaimed from somewhere across the room. "Hey Dorothea, look up!"

  
Dorothea and Byleth blinked at the pink haired woman before they looked up.

  
"Ooh I completely forgot about that," Dorothea uttered. Byleth's face turned into a look of disbelief.

  
In a corner up the windowsill, right above them, hung a tiny mistletoe.

  
Claude gaped at them helplessly.  _ Are you serious?! _

  
Dorothea turned her gaze back to Byleth. "Seems like the mistletoes took a liking for you tonight."

  
"I may have caught Claude's little curse from the last big party?" Byleth chuckled nervously.

  
"Perhaps," Dorothea sang back, "but it's the season for love and happiness so let's make a good thing out of that curse shall we?"

  
Dorothea moved closer to Byleth and held her shoulders with her hands. "Happy holidays to one of the most beautiful souls I know."

  
A faint blush appeared on Byleth's face at Dorothea's compliment. "Happy holidays to you too, Dorothea."

  
Dorothea leaned forward and kissed Byleth on the lips. It wasn't the brief chaste kiss like Edelgard's. It was a few seconds longer and just a smidge deeper. But it was enough to make Claude want to head over to them and pull Byleth away, glomping on her possessively.

  
Thankfully, the two broke apart before he had fully made up his mind to do so. 

  
"Claude's a very lucky man to have captured your heart," Dorothea remarked. She turned to his direction and threw him a pointed wink.

  
Claude felt an impending headache coming.

\---

\---

Claude didn't believe in the existence of Sothis but he reckoned if she did exist, she'd be having a grand old time laughing at his predicament from her throne.

  
Claude was walking around with Byleth's hand in tow right now. Possessive be damned, there were already too many people who had access to Byleth's wondrous lips tonight. Three people was just too many.

  
"Claude, do you mind if I take a slice of cake?" Byleth asked with a hint of amusement at his exasperated reaction. "I promise I'll be on the lookout."

  
Claude scanned the area where the cake was placed. All clear so far.

  
"Okay, but be wary," Claude pleaded.

  
Byleth smiled at him reassuringly before heading off to the large, rectangular winter-themed cake. As she was taking a slice, none other than Sothis-Felix stopped next to her, waiting in line for the cake knife, grumbling and cursing a sailor's worth of vocabulary under his breath.

  
"Is Sothis off-duty now?" Byleth chuckled at him.

  
"Off for the night," Felix grumbled at her.

  
"I thought you don't really like cakes?" Byleth asked him.

  
"I need something to wash the pain of wearing this hideousness away," Felix answered. "Also, Annette wants some cakes."

  
"Ah I see, well here you go," she handed him the knife.

  
Byleth had just taken a napkin and was about to head over to Claude when she heard Felix yell, "Are you fucking serious?"

  
At his cry, Byleth quickly turned to him and walked over to the exasperated-looking Felix. "What's wrong?"

  
"No, don't come here...ugh."

  
Byleth looked over the piece of cake in Felix's hold that seemed to be causing whatever agony he was in...and immediately regretted it.

  
For in the center of the cake was a mistletoe buried inside.

  
Sylvain, who had appeared suddenly from behind Felix, looked down at the plate of cake in his hand with a sly smirk. He turned his attention to Byleth. "Looks like you are lady mistletoe for the night."

  
Claude decided to go and see what the commotion was about and did a double-take once he realized what was happening.

  
_Why???_

  
"People should stay away from you," Felix pointed out to Byleth.

  
"They really should," Byleth agreed.

  
"You know the rules, o-mighty-Sothis, time to spread some joy," Sylvain patted Felix on the shoulder.

  
Felix had a constipated look on his face.

  
"Annette doesn't mind," Sylvain quipped.

  
"And what about him?" Felix nodded at Claude who was standing next to Byleth.

  
"Oh I mind. I mind very fucking much." Claude replied sternly.

  
"Ignore him," Sylvain waved dismissively at Claude.

  
Felix sighed before stepping forward unceremoniously towards Byleth and planting a kiss on her cheek. It was quickly over just as it had started and Claude appreciated the man's speed and choice of method.

  
"Happy holidays Eisner, thanks for making fencing club a bit more of a challenge for me."

  
Byleth smiled and nodded at him. "Happy holidays to you too, Felix, thank you for teaching me all the fencing techniques you know."

  
As Claude watched the little event unravel, he thought it was almost time for him and Byleth to leave the party.

\---

\---

"You're really okay about leaving earlier than usual?" Claude asked Byleth once more, hopeful.

  
"Yes," Byleth nodded her reply. "All these mistletoe mishaps have been quite... overwhelming."

  
"Glad we're on the same page," Claude chuckled. "I need to go to the washroom for a sec. Can you wait for me?"

  
Byleth nodded. Once Claude walked away, Byleth decided to sit in the living area and thus plopped herself down in an armchair.

  
A few seconds later, Sylvain and Yuri joined her by sitting on the sofa perpendicular to the chair she was sitting on.

  
"So, you and Claude are leaving soon?" Yuri asked her.

  
Byleth nodded. "I think the party's got a little too much excitement for both of us," she replied.

  
"In all fairness, we didn't think a lot of those mistletoes we spread all around the house would pop up around the same person each time," Sylvain told her almost apologetically.

  
"I know," Byleth assured him. 

  
As she spoke, Byleth reached over for the bowl of candies on the coffee table in front of her and dug a hand into it, feeling up for the candy that she wanted only to pick up a strange object.

  
"Well, how about that now," a smirk appeared on Yuri's face.

  
"Ah, Sothis must be smiling at us as well," Sylvain snickered.

  
Claude happened to be making his way back in time to see Byleth staring aghast at a piece of mistletoe in her hand, Yuri and Sylvain next to her.

  
"No," he quickly ran over to Byleth, standing between her and the two people he was most wary of the entire evening. "No, and no. Not happening."

  
Sylvain and Yuri looked at each other before breaking into a laugh from Claude's flustered state.

  
"Relax, von Riegan, we're not going to force your girlfriend to do anything she doesn't want."

  
Sylvain stood up from his spot and pulled Claude over to sit in his place instead. At the same time, Yuri stood up from his place.

  
"We just want to show her how much she is loved by all of us."

  
Both of them walked over to Byleth. They both crouched down at the same time and placed a kiss on each of her cheeks.

  
Byleth blinked back up at them in silence, looking as if she was processing the entire thing.

  
"Happy holidays Byleth, thank you for sharing my interest in Fodlan's...darker history," said Yuri.

  
"Happy holidays from me too, thank you for being someone who is always straightforward and honest," said Sylvain.

  
Byleth blinked at them before a smile graced her face. "Happy holidays to you, too."

  
Claude slumped further into his chair, grumbling endlessly.

\---

\---

They almost made it out of the door unscathed.

_  
Almost  _ being the keyword as the last person to have a go at Byleth's lips did not need the power of mistletoe to help him.

  
You see, the two things that successfully transformed Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd from the star football player of the campus to a bumbling, fumbling buffoon were two things: a little too much alcohol and clothing that was a smidge too long for comfort.

  
"Claude, Byleth! You both are leaving so soooon?" he hollered at them.

  
Claude felt a prickling sensation at the back of his neck. "Quick! Let's scram before he gets to us and more disasters happen."

  
Unfortunately for them Dimitri is much faster than either of them could give credit for.

  
"Come and give your ol' Dima a hug before you leaavee."

  
Dimitri ran towards them…

  
...and unfortunately tripped on the lengthier side of his costume, tumbling into Byleth before Claude could react and bringing her to the floor with him.

  
They both fell. It was for two seconds but Claude didn't miss the accidental brush of Byleth's lips on Dimitri's as she fell on top of him and the shocked looks they exchanged with one another. He also didn't miss the way Dimitri's face reddened a little more which he knew was not due to alcohol. It was like watching a cliche trope of some terrible rom-com or one of those fanfictions that Lorenz secretly read.

  
But this was reality. And Byleth was  _ his _ girlfriend. Dimitri was his idiot drunk best friend. This entire picture did not scream "epic romance about to bloom."

  
"Ookaay up with you," Claude crouched down and helped Byleth up to her feet. "You all right?"

  
"Yeah," Byleth blinked, "a little taken aback from what's happening, but yeah."

  
"And you, you big boar," Claude pointed at Dimitri who was still lying on the floor, "you do  _ not _ barrel into anyone when drunk. How many times have we gone through this?"

  
"Claaaauudee," Dimitri uttered in a slight slur as he pushed himself up, "there's something I want to make straight with you since our last party."

  
"What?" Claude asked in an annoyed tone.

  
Dimitri took heavy trudges towards him. Byleth made a quick split decision to separate herself from Claude, sensing danger impending.

  
"You told me last time that I kiss like a dead...a dead fish," he placed two strong grips on Claude's shoulders. Claude had to hold back a wince from how strong they actually were. "Well, that hurts. And I'm going to prove you now that you are wrong."

_  
Oh no _ .

  
Claude tried to wiggle his way out but it only made Dimitri pull him into a tight bear hug, the blond's face inching down towards him.

  
Why did Dimitri have to be so much taller and stronger than him?

  
"Dimitri, no! Dimitri, stay back!" Claude cried, but it fell on Dimitri's deaf ears.

  
They had attracted a bit of a crowd now and Claude could hear what he thought was Hilda's voice going "Go show him Dimitri!"

  
"Dimitri, no!"

  
There's no more space between them anymore.

_  
Noooooooo _ .

\---

\---

Claude trudged along the sidewalk of Garreg Mach roads, allowing himself to be led by Byleth as he moved forward aimlessly, feeling as if his soul had been sucked out of his body.

  
"Claude, are you all right?" Byleth asked, breaking the silence that lingered around them.  
  


"Why does emotional casualty have to happen whenever we are all together?" he moaned.

  
Byleth threw a sympathetic smile at him. "There is never a boring moment with them," she wrapped her hand a little tighter around his. "In retrospect, I understand how you must have felt at the last big party. It almost made me want to swear off kisses as well." 

  
Claude chuckled at her comment.

  
Suddenly, small white flakes floated gently down from the sky. Claude stopped in his tracks, pulling Byleth to a halt with him.

  
"It's snowing again," Claude muttered, looking up at the sky.

  
"Yeah," Byleth replied, "it's beautiful."

  
Claude turned his attention to the woman standing next to him, a serene smile on her face as she looked up to the sky bathed in snowflakes. He really didn't want to end up saying something as cliche as "but you're the most beautiful thing tonight" but how could he deny that thought when it was the only truth?

  
He didn't, though. Instead, Claude reached out for Byleth and pulled her to him.

  
"Hey, By," he said softly, one hand around her back, the other brushing her fringe away, "why did you choose me?"

  
Byleth raised an eyebrow at him. "What do you mean why? Because I really like you?"

  
Claude let out a small laugh. "Well, I get that. But...tonight made me realize that everyone, one way or anoother, has a crush on you."

  
"That's not true," Byleth frowned.

  
"It is," Claude argued. "And understandably so. You just have a way of helping others reach their potential. You share many of our friends' interests. You're smart, kind," Claude allowed his hands to travel a little lower along Byleth's back, "and sexy to boot."

  
Byleth let out a chortle.

  
"You could have had anyone By, and I'm wondering why you've picked little old me."

  
Byleth tilted her head up to watch Claude's face closely and he allowed himself to be lost in the big blue orbs that were looking up at him.

  
"Well, for one you actually asked me out, albeit indirectly."

  
"Ouch, is that it?" 

  
"Of course not," Byleth rolled her eyes. "You're smart, you're funny, you're determined and I find you hot. Very. To be honest, since the first day I met you."

  
"Hmhmm," Claude hummed, leaning down and placing his forehead against hers, "continue."

  
Byleth let her fingers trace the dark hair along his jawline. "We connect amazingly well and I…" she paused, letting her hand graze the corner of his lips, "I love you."

  
Claude's eyes widened.

  
"I hope that's okay for me to say."

  
Okay? Did she not realize how high she made his heart soar?

  
"Absolutely more than okay," Claude murmured, "because I love you too."

  
He leaned forward and closed the small space between them, finding warmth in the heat of her breath, the softness of her lips, the security of her embrace and the music of her heartbeat. They held each other tight as the snow gently cascaded around them.

  
He pulled back first and met those doe eyes that he cherished so much staring back at him with a devotion and love he never experienced before. His dream woman. The love of his life.

  
"Did you know," Claude muttered, his breath warm on Byleth's porcelain skin, "that in some cultures, it's said that a couple who catch the first snow together will end up with each other forever?"

  
"Yeah?" replied Byleth, "then maybe you and I will spend many more winters together."

  
Somehow, deep inside Claude, he had no doubt that they would make that happen.

  
"Oh and also," Byleth said as she reached down her jeans pocket and pulled out a small ornament from it, "here."

  
A grin broke across her face as she held up a mistletoe between them.

  
"Wha-?"

  
"I know we already kissed but I don't want to make you think that destiny or the universe is against you tonight," she explained with a mischievous glint in her eyes "I spotted this one stuck on your house porch just as we were leaving."

  
Claude blinked a couple times before a laugh bubbled out of him. He pulled Byleth flush against him once more. "I love you so much, you know that?"

  
"I do now," she replied. "Happy holidays Claude, thank you for loving me."

  
"No," he whispered against her lips, "thank  _ you _ for making me the happiest man alive now."

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Happy holidays everyone! Whether you are spending the season with family or alone, I truly hope you can make a great fun out of your day. Please remember to stay safe and maintain your health! Congratulations on making it this far in such a turbulent year, you're a star!


End file.
